Steep slopes do not stop farmers. Terrace farming cuts hillsides into stepped levels, creating flat planting surfaces that hold soil and water instead of letting both wash downhill. The technique dates back thousands of years in the Andes, Philippines, and Mediterranean.

Each terrace acts as a small field bounded by a retaining wall or earth bank. Water from the level above flows down in controlled fashion. Soil that erodes from one level settles on the next rather than leaving the farm entirely.

Benefits of terracing

• Reduces soil erosion on slopes
• Conserves water and slows runoff
• Creates arable land where none existed
• Can support rice paddies on hillsides

Building and maintaining terraces takes enormous labour. Walls need repair, channels need clearing, and machinery rarely fits on narrow levels. But on steep land, terracing often makes the difference between farming and abandoning the slope.